Swimming catamaran



April 1, 1930. M. M BROWN 7 SWIMMING CATAMARAN Filed May 1, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1, 1930. M. M. BROWN SWIMMING CATAMARAN Filed May1, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 MAURICE M. BROWN, OFWASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SWIMMING CATAMARAN Application filedMay 1, 1929 Serial No. 359,531.

and pleasure of those who can swim. It has for its object the productionof a device of this character which shall be efiicient in action,impossible of reversal or capsizing, simple and easy to pack and carry,and finally which shall leave the learner or the swimmer entirely freeand unimpeded in all movements, while perfectly supported from above insuch manner as to keep the head and shoulders at a predetermined levelwith respect to the surface of the water.

I attain my object by providing a pair of hollow cylinders or floatswhich are placed parallel to each other and a suflicient distance apartto constitute a perfectibly stable catamaran. These floats are connectedby a superstructure comprisingv risers and either converging or parallelhorizontal frame members connecting the upper ends of the risers. Ifconverging, then a suspension device is secured beneath the center pointor crossing of the frame members, and its lower end is provided with abelt or strap to encircle the body of the swimmer beneath the arms,preferably with shoulder straps to keep it from slipping down. If theframe members are parallel, connecting the upper ends of corresponding 7pairs of risers located fore and aft on the pontoons, then I provide acentral runway or connecting rod between the transverse frame membersand on this runway I provide a runner in the form of a ring or pulleywhich carriesa suspension device of substantially the same character asbefore. With the former construction, the swimmer is supported betweenthe pontoons with room to turn and proceed in all directions and may besupplied with hand ropes leading to the front end or other parts of thepontoons, by which to direct the same as well as to enhance his ownenjoyment and control of movements in the water. In the latter case,that is with the runway, the swimmer may turn back and forth and reversehis direction, but when swimming forward will always be ahead of thecenter, that is to say, abaft the bows of the two pontoons, which willthus be directed automatically so as to follow his movements andprogress in any given direction he may choose to swim. In either case, Icontemplate applying pull rods and hand ropes, side holds, and anoverhead boatswains chair or seat supported on or from thesuperstructure, which may be occupied by the user of the device at will,the pontoons beingthen capable 3f propulsion by means of a paddle orpad- In addition to being used as a safety device, my pontoon apparatusconstitutes a very efficlent game apparatus, particularly as Ipreferably construct it in knock down form so that it can be takenapart, packed and carried in a very small compass. It is applicable tosuch games as water polo, paddling and swimming races, surf-riding, andthe like.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my central supportdevice.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the second form having an overheadrunner on which the supporting device travels, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the sockets which Iemploy.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a blank punched. out of sheet metal but not yetformed up into' the top support or center plate of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, and first to... Figs. 1 and 2, the numerals 1and 2 designate two cylindrical floats or pontoons with tapered orconical ends 1 and 2. These pontoons may be constructed of galvanizediron,

pure copper, or other material, and may be painted appropriate colors.Each pontoon 9 carries a pair of sockets 3 and tlocated near itsopposite ends, to receive the lower ends of the frame members 5 and 6.In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 these frame members converge towardan overhead central plate 7 which has four sockets 8, 9, l0 and 11 toreceive the ends of the four frame members. These frame members arepreferably light tubing of any suitable metal and the sockets 3, at, 8,11, etc. are provided with means'to hold the ends of the tubing rigidlyand se curely when in use, and release the same when it is desired toknock down and pack the device. The socket shown in Fig. at is one ofthe base sockets 3 or 1, and has a base plate 12 carrying the circularsocket member 13 to receive the end of the tubing 5 or 6. On one sidethe circular s cket is split and provided with clamping wings or flanges11 which may be drawn together by any suitable means such as a bolt orscrew 15. If desired, these clamping bolts or screws, and the nuts whichcooperate with them, may have wings to enable them to be turned by thefingers without any tool, as indicated in Fig. 4. The sockets 8, 9, 10,11 on the center plate 7 are of the same general character as that shownin Fig. 4, but lack the base plate 12, the sockets being directlysecured to and preferably integral with the plate 7 itself a blank cutout of sheet metal and suitable for the formation of the plate 7 withits four sockets is shown in Fig. 5. The four wings 13 in this figureare formed up in the same manner as the clamping body 13 shown in Fig.4. In the center of the plate 7 I secure an eye-bolt 16 with the eyebelow the plate. From this eye bolt a strap or chain 17 is suspended andat its lower end carries a ring 18 to which are secured opposite ends ofa belt 19 with a suitable buckle or other equivalent device 20 forenabling the belt to be secured around the body of the user. This beltis preferably of the form shown in Fig. 3, with shoulder straps 21 tohold it in place well up between the arms, so that the ring 18 willalways lie between the should-er blades on the back of the user. By thismode of suspension, the most inexperienced user, suchas a young child,may be safely trusted in the water with perfect confidence, as the headand shoulders are maintained constantly at a level which ispredetermined by adjusting the length of the strap or chain 17 in anysuitable manner, as by means of a turn-buckle or a snap hook or thelike. In order to keep the swimmer steady and give him directiveguidance of the pontoons, I provide ropes 22 with snaphooks 28 by whichthey are attached diagonally to rings on the sockets 13 and at thecenter end. on the ring 18 or duplicate ring 18 forming part of thesuspension device. In (lisassen'ibling the device, these ropes may beunhooked, the strap or chain 17 may likewise be unhooked (havingsnaphooks at its upper and lower ends if desired), the tubing 5-6 may betaken out of the sockets 3-4 and 8. 9, 10, 11, the two pontoons placedclose together, the other parts laid parallel with them and upon them,and the entire device may then be enclosed in a suitable carrying caseof a size to go conveniently on the runningboard of an automobile. Inassembling, the tubing 56 is inserted in the pontoon sockets 3--1 onboth sides, and clamped. The center plate 7 is then put in position theends of the tubes are inserted in the sockets 8, 9, 10, 11, and clamped,the suspension device 17 is hooked on to the ring 16 and the ring 18 or18. If the ropes 22 are to be used they are then snapped in position asshown in Figs. 2 and (S, and the entire outfit is ready for use.

Referring now to Fig. 3, in this case the tubular frame members 5--6 arereplaced by risers 5 -45 connected above the pontoons by horizontalframe members 25 and 26 which are connected at their middle points by alongitudinal runway or tube 27 secured in clamping sockets 2829 similarto the sockets 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13, in Figs. 1 and 1. In this casehowever, the sockets 28 and 29 are T-shaped, with tubular memberssecured permanently at the middle points of the tubes 25 and 26, and theclamping members 28 and 29 projecting therefrom. The suspension device17 in this case is similar to that de-" scribed and shown in Fig. 2 asare also the belt 19, the shoulder straps 20 and the elevis or ring 18for securing the belt to the suspension dcvice. In Fig. 3 however thering 16 slides upon the rod or runway 27 and the upper end of the strapor chain 17 is snaphooked to this ring. With the construction thusdescribed, it is obvious that the swimmer may swim backwards orforwards, the ring 16 traveling along the rods 27 according to hisdirection, and when he is at either limit of the travel of the ring, hewill be either forward or aft of the midship section of the pontoons asindicated by the dotted lines 30 in Fig. If forward, and swimming in thedirection of the arrow, he will draw the pontoons with him, and anydeviation to the right or left will steer the prows in the samedirection. It is to be noted that there should bea sufficient projectionfore and aft of the pontoons beyond the sockets 34 in Fig. 3, to providealways a sufficient lifting power to keep the swimmers head andshoulders in proper position. In orther words, if the sockets 3 beplaced too near the bow points 1 and 2 of the pontoons 1 and 2, there isdanger thatthe said points will bury themselves in the water and thestern points will kick up, leaving the swimmer smothered in the foam.Toavoid any possibility of this occurring, I may pro vide hand ropes asshown at 31 on the insides of the pontoons, and may also provide ropessimilar to the ropes 22 in Figs. 2 and 6 by means of which the swimmercan adjust his position and right the craft if it shows a disposition tonose-dive.

The assembling and disassembling of the apparatus in Fig. 3 issubstantially the same as that of the apparatus in Figs. 1 and 2.

\Vhile I have described herein the best form of my invent-ion now knownto me, together with the best mode of practicing the same, I wish it tobe distinctly understood that I am not confined to any nonessentialbackwards or forward details, but contemplate all such changes andmodifications as fall fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What- I claim is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of lightcylindrical tubular metal floats or pontoons, clamping sockets rigidlysecured fore and aft upon said pontoons, tubular metal frame members orrisers having their lower and outer ends clamped in said sockets, anoverhead metal frame member comprising a longitudinal rod or runway withclamping sockets integrally secured upon it and adapted to receive theupper and inner ends of said frame members or risers, and a flexiblesuspension device depending from said overhead frame member with meansat its lower end to secure it to a swimmer and a ring or traveler at itsupper end adapted to travel on said rod or runway fore and aft.

2. The combination described in claim 1, in which the means for securingthe flexible suspension device to a swimmer consists of a harness withthe point of attachment at the back, whereby the swimmer isautomatically held in the correct posture.

3. The combination described in claim 1, with handholds secured upon theinside of each pontoon, whereby the swimmer may control the position andmovements of said pontoons.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

MAURICE M. BROWN.

